Bone grafting is the process of transplanting bone tissues into another area of the body to aid in the repair of diseased or injured bones. The bone graft is set into place and the body is allowed to accept the new addition as part of itself, creating a new framework for new bone to grow. Autograft is the term used for bone grafts that come from the same individual while allograft is used for those that come from another person, whether dead or alive.
Bone Grafting in Dentistry
In dentistry, bone grafting might also be a necessary procedure following gum disease or tooth extraction. This procedure helps improve the patient’s appearance, especially because bone loss can lead to a prematurely aged look. After dental extraction, the bones underneath the empty gums gradually get lost, causing a depression in the gum line.
Bone grafting might also be necessary in patients who are set for dental implant surgery. Not all patients have a strong jawbone that could easily support the implants, especially if the area to be filled up had been empty for many months. The dentist is able to determine whether the patient needs bone grafting or not.
For optimal results in dental implants, bone grafting may be accomplished before the actual implant procedure is begun. To create a solid base for the implant, a piece of bone – often taken from the patient’s hip – is transplanted to the jawbone. As the body learns to adopt the new piece, cells from the jawbone begin to migrate to the graft, remodeling into new bone. Allowed to heal for a couple of months, the host bone will soon replace the graft with new, hard bone ready for the implant.
Where to Get Bone for Grafting?
Readily available, allografts are most commonly used in bone grafting, whether in dental procedures or anywhere else in the body.
A number of patients do not feel comfortable getting implanted with any material from another person, especially after learning that most allografts actually come from dead people who had donated their bones for medical use. The dentist can assure you that the allografts have proven track records for being safe to use in the body. These have also been clinically proven to be effective and clean, having undergone rigorous processes to ensure quality and safety.
Of course, the patient is not going to be the one to look for bone “donors”, especially because there are readily available regenerative products for a wide range of uses. For instance, there are specific allograft bone products to treat periodontal defects caused by gum disease or trauma. There are also products specifically for socket repair, ridge preservation, sinus elevation, ridge augmentation, and many others.
These collagen-based regenerative products are derived from natural sources but already processed for ease of use. The materials make a strong scaffold to help promote the regeneration of host tissue.
It is also quite advantageous to use allografts instead of autografts to prevent the patient from having to undergo a second surgical procedure at the intended bone source site like the hip.
Conclusion
Be sure to ask your dentist how to prevent bone loss. We at Gerochi Dental and Implant Center truly care about your teeth. We give all the necessary detailed information on every procedure and even give the alternative to suit your budget and other concerns. If you have questions that bother you concerning your teeth’s health, we would like to hear it and give counseling for FREE! You may drop your questions to the following medium:
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